Elmore said 52 animals from Dorchester county were prepared to be transported by the Humane Society of the United States on Thursday.

Forty-five volunteers are on standby to help with area pet evacuations or other needs at the Charleston Animal Society, he said.

Workers from the SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare in Aiken and the York Humane Society will take animals at Charleston Animal Society out of the potential strike zone for Hurricane Matthew.

“We are overwhelmed by these gestures of support and compassion for our animals,” Elmore said. “These organizations took the time and made the effort to drive all this way, even with the lane closures coming, to get these animals to safer ground.”